Boiler-feeder and low-water alarm



UNITED STATES PATENT GEETE.

VALERIUS D. ANDERSON, OF KEWANEE, ILLINOIS.

BOlLER-FEEDER AND LOW'WATER ALARM.

`Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 103,539, dated Mav 3|. 1870.

To all whom it may concern Be it `known that I, VALERIUS D. ANDER- SON, of Kewanee, in the county of Henry and State of Illinois, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Automatic Boiler- Feeder; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, which will enable others skilled in the art to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, forming part of this specification.

Figure l is a detail sectional View of my improved boiler-feeder. Fig. 2 is a view of the feeder, the cap-plate bein gremoved, and partly in section through the line :l: a', Fig. 1, to show `the manner of its attachment to the boiler.

Similar letters ot' reference indicate corresponding parts.

My invention has for its object to furnish an improved automatic feeder for steam-boilers used` for warming buildings, steaming feed for stock, and other uses where a low'pressure of steam is required; and it consists in the c011- struct-ion and combination of the various parts of the 'feeder, as hereinafter more fully described.

A represents the shell of a steam-boiler. B is the feeder, which is made of any convenient form, and which is secured to the upper part ofthe boiler A by the, bolts C in such a position that its upper part may be above 'and its.

lower part below the water-line of said boiler. D are lian ges formed upon or securely bolted to the side of the upper part of the boiler A in such -positions and at such a distance apart that the feeder B may be received between them. In the inner edges of the flanges D are formed transverse slots to secure the bodies of the bolts C, the heads of said bolts slipping beneath the said ilanges, as shown in Fig. 2. The bolts C pass through lugs formedupon the outer part of the feeder B, and have nuts placed upon their outer ends to securely clamp the feeder B to the boiler A.

The feeder B is made with a close inner end, through which are formed two holes, one above and one below the water-line of the boiler, and which correspond with two similar'. holes formed in the sideof the boiler A.

By this construction the water froln the boiler A will pass into the feeder B` through Ithe lower of said holes, arid the steam from said boiler will pass into said feeder through the upper hole, so that the water will stand-at the same level in feeder and boiler, and the steam-pressure will be the same in both. y

E is a water-reservoir, which is placed ata higher level than the feeder B. The lower part ofthe reservoir E is connected by a pipe, F, with the outer end plate of the feeder B, which end plate is secured to the body of the feeder by bolts passing through lugs formed upon the edge Aof thesaid plate and thesides of said feeder, as shown in Fig.A 1. f

The pipe F has an enlargement formed upon it, in which is placed a valve, G, the stem H of which projects into the feeder B, and its in, ner end is slotted to receive the lower 'end of the cross-arm I of the' lever J, which is pivoted to the inner side of the detachable end plate of the feeder at the point of attachment of the said cross-arms I.

To the inner end of thclever J is pivoted a oat, K, which floats upon the water in the feeder B, and rises and falls with the rise and fall of the said water. By this construction, when the Water falls in the boiler andfeeder, the weight K falls and operates the lever J I to push the valve-stem H outward, opening the valve G and allowing the water from the :reservoir E to flow through the pipe F into the feeder B, whence it flows into the boiler A. As the water rises in the feeder and boiler `the weight K is raised and the valve G is again closed, shutting off the entrance of the water. l

The upper part of the reservoir E is con nected with the upper part or steam-space of the feeder B by a pipe,-L, through which the steam passes freely to the upper part of the said reservoir E, so that the water may fiow out of the said reservoir freely when the valve G is opened.

'M is the upper crossarm of the lever J, the upper end of which enters and works in a slot in the inwardly-projecting end of the valve N, which fits into a valve-seat in the inner side of the outer part' of the outer end plate of the feeder B.

The stem O of the valveNpasses out through the said end plate, and through a small pipe, P, attached to the outer side of said end plate,

v and provided with a discharge-oriee-or Whis tle for the noisy escape ofthe steam and upon the outer or projecting part of said stem is placed a coiled spring, Q, the inner end cf which rests against the outer end of said pipe, andthe outer end of which' rests againsta nut er other stop attached to the outer end of the said valve-stein O. y

The slot in the inner part of theivalve N ismade longer thantlie slet` in the .valve-stem H, so that the valve G maybe operated to admit the Water before the valve N is operated to sound an alarm, said alarm not being sounded unless the Water in the boiler falls lower than it should by the failure of the water in 'the tank or reservoir E, the stopping or clogging of the pipe F, or some other canse rendering the attention of the engineer necessary.

Having. thus described my invention, I claim as new and. desire yto vsecure by vLetters Patentl. Securing the feeder B to the side of the' boiler A detachably by means of vthe long e v u 103,539

belts() and slotted ianges FD, substantiall y as herein shown and described, and for the pin'- poseset` forth.

2. The combination of the feeder i3, steampipe L, reservoir E, pipe F, valve G, having; the inner end of its stem H slotted, cross-'arm I, levers J, and oat K with 'each other, to adapt them for attachment to a` low-pressure steam-boiler, substantially as herein shown and described, and for the purpose set forth.

3. The combination of the 'feeder B, steamppe L, reservoir E, pipe F, valve Gr, having the inner end of its stein H slotted, crosaarm I, levers J, float K, cross-arm M, Valve N havr ing its inner endl slotted, valve-stem 0, and spring Q with each other, substantially as herein shown and described, and for the purpose set forth.

EGBERT E. SLOCUM, JAS. A. LYON. 

